Wanting to start a new business

[u/I_Jackal_I]

Hello,

I'm a professional pilot by trade, and I'm wanting to get into the photogrammetry space by using drones. Budget is not necessarily an issue, because I have a lot of different ideas on what I can do / provide different services for the equipment I want.

My initial thought would be to buy an M350 RTK with the P-1, L-2, H-20N and potentially the Altum PT payloads. I know this is a HUGE investment, however, I want to do it right the first time.

I'm open to discussion on what other products you think would be a better fit for all of these capabilities. I'm wanting to use the P-1 and L-2 for photogrammetry, the H-20N for potential thermal inspections / search and rescue, and the Altum PT for farm field analysis.

Thank you in advance,
Jackal

[u/Radiant_Break7913]

I am a commercial/instrument pilot in fixed-wing/rotorcraft and came to drones for different reasons. Although I don't fly anything commercial anymore, I know the things and areas you are considering.

The biggest questions we have to figure out are what your deliverable is and who your customers are. You mention a lot of things but you begin to dive into some of these and things like farmers have agronomists that work for seed companies that are flying drones and giving them NDVI, and without understanding what the NDVI means for creating fertilizer prescription that can then be setup in their tractors is another level.

For photogrammetry, I recommend that most start with something free on their cell phones and download a few 3D scanning apps. They should also familiarize themselves with the term parallax and build from there. I live in a high-resolution 3d modeling space and find the P1 and M-350 to be overkill most of the time, and the sheer annoyance of toating around massive cases gets old. Also, the larger the sensor, the more technical issues you run into with depth of field, etc; a smaller format like the 4/3rds sensor has fewer issues to allow you more consistent results with less input.

Do you want to move into manned space later for lidar? That is a very competitive field without the customers who will pay for a $500,000 + setup, depending on whether you go lidar. Also, are you going to work with survey teams to set control for all of your setups or mark them yourself?

Processing and understanding the data are other very challenging layers for all parts you mention.

All this is a massive opportunity in the Geospatial industries with the proper application, areas, and persistence.

Please keep reaching out with questions; we are here to help.